Softwr

Energy · head to head

Cognite Data Fusion vs PowerFactory DIgSILENT

Cognite Data Fusion logo

Cognite Data Fusion

Energy

Industrial data platform that contextualises OT, IT and engineering data into an asset-centric knowledge graph

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
PowerFactory DIgSILENT logo

PowerFactory DIgSILENT

Energy

Advanced power system analysis and grid simulation

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Cognite Data Fusion the platform is only as good as the contextualisation work, and that mapping effort is a consulting project that regularly costs more than the first-year subscription.; PowerFactory DIgSILENT no prices are published; the product pages only offer Request a Quotation and Demo Request
  • They diverge on capability: Cognite Data Fusion covers Asset-centric data model, PowerFactory DIgSILENT covers Load flow calculation.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Cognite Data Fusion and PowerFactory DIgSILENT actually diverge.

Attributes where Cognite Data Fusion and PowerFactory DIgSILENT differ
AttributeCognite Data FusionPowerFactory DIgSILENT
PlatformsWeb, CloudWindows, Linux, Api
FoundedUnknown1985

Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (quote), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Energy).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Cognite Data Fusion

  • Asset-centric data model
  • Entity matching
  • P&ID parsing
  • 3D contextualisation
  • Cognite Atlas AI
  • Data workflows
  • Open SDKs
  • Extractors

Only in PowerFactory DIgSILENT

  • Load flow calculation
  • Short-circuit analysis
  • RMS and EMT simulation
  • Harmonic analysis
  • Stability analysis
  • Protection coordination
  • Renewable energy integration
  • Scripting and automation

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Cognite Data Fusion

  • An operator that wants engineers to find the drawing, the sensor trend and the last work order for a valve from one searchnot PowerFactory DIgSILENT
  • A company standardising asset data across sites so an analytics team can build once and deploy to many plantsnot PowerFactory DIgSILENT
  • An upstream operator building a production-optimisation model that needs sensor data joined to equipment metadatanot PowerFactory DIgSILENT
  • A team replacing a stalled internal data-lake project where nobody could reconstruct what the tag names meantnot PowerFactory DIgSILENT

PowerFactory DIgSILENT

  • Power system load flow, short circuit and stability analysis for transmission and distribution networksnot Cognite Data Fusion
  • Grid code compliance studies and protection coordinationnot Cognite Data Fusion
  • Modelling renewables and distributed generation integrationnot Cognite Data Fusion

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Cognite Data Fusion

  • The platform is only as good as the contextualisation work, and that mapping effort is a consulting project that regularly costs more than the first-year subscription.
  • Pricing is consumption-based and unpublished, so costs move with data volume and usage patterns you cannot forecast well until a year in.
  • It does not replace your historian, your ERP or your maintenance system, so Cognite is an additional recurring cost layered on systems you still pay for.
  • The reference base and data model lean heavily towards Norwegian and wider oil, gas and process industries; discrete manufacturing fit is weaker and the local partner network thinner outside energy.
  • Getting value out requires in-house Python and data engineering skill; organisations without a data team end up dependent on Cognite professional services for every new use case.

PowerFactory DIgSILENT

  • No prices are published; the product pages only offer Request a Quotation and Demo Request
  • The commercial licence is sold by node count, in tiers of 100, 250, 500 or unlimited nodes
  • Functions are sold as a configurable package rather than included, so advanced modules are priced separately
  • Support, maintenance and upgrades are included only for the first 12 months of a perpetual licence and then require an annual maintenance contract
  • The number of concurrent users on the Multi-User Edition is limited to the number of licences purchased
  • A floating licence used on a local machine is time limited to a maximum of 30 days
  • Centralised project data on Oracle, SQL Server or PostgreSQL requires the Team Edition; Single-User and Multi-User editions use a local SQLite database
  • Education licences are capped at 50 nodes and forbid commercial use
  • Student licences are capped at 50 nodes, are cloud softkey only and expire 12 months from issue

Pricing, plan by plan

Cognite Data Fusion

On request
  • Cognite Data Fusion$undefined/year
    • Consumption-based pricing on data volume, compute and users
    • Available through cloud marketplaces with private offers
    • Contextualisation and onboarding quoted as a separate engagement

PowerFactory DIgSILENT

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the PowerFactory DIgSILENT review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Cognite Data Fusion if

  • You need asset-centric data model.
  • You work on Web, Cloud.
  • You also want entity matching.
Cognite Data Fusion review

Choose PowerFactory DIgSILENT if

  • You need load flow calculation.
  • You work on Windows, Linux, Api.
  • You also want short-circuit analysis.
PowerFactory DIgSILENT review

Questions people ask

Is Cognite Data Fusion or PowerFactory DIgSILENT better?
Neither clearly leads. Cognite Data Fusion starts at On request and PowerFactory DIgSILENT at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cognite Data Fusion or PowerFactory DIgSILENT?
Cognite Data Fusion starts at On request and PowerFactory DIgSILENT at On request.
Does Cognite Data Fusion or PowerFactory DIgSILENT run on more platforms?
Cognite Data Fusion runs on Web, Cloud. PowerFactory DIgSILENT runs on Windows, Linux, Api.
What is Cognite Data Fusion best used for?
Cognite Data Fusion is most often used for an operator that wants engineers to find the drawing, the sensor trend and the last work order for a valve from one search, a company standardising asset data across sites so an analytics team can build once and deploy to many plants, an upstream operator building a production-optimisation model that needs sensor data joined to equipment metadata, a team replacing a stalled internal data-lake project where nobody could reconstruct what the tag names meant. Of those, an operator that wants engineers to find the drawing, the sensor trend and the last work order for a valve from one search and a company standardising asset data across sites so an analytics team can build once and deploy to many plants are not what PowerFactory DIgSILENT is typically brought in for.
What can Cognite Data Fusion do that PowerFactory DIgSILENT cannot?
Cognite Data Fusion covers Asset-centric data model, Entity matching, P&ID parsing, 3D contextualisation. PowerFactory DIgSILENT covers Load flow calculation, Short-circuit analysis, RMS and EMT simulation, Harmonic analysis.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Cognite Data Fusion: Is Cognite a historian?

No. It reads from historians such as PI System and adds context. You still need the historian underneath.

PowerFactory DIgSILENT: How does DIgSILENT PowerFactory licensing work?

PowerFactory offers flexible software editions and licensing options. Customers must request a quotation from DIgSILENT to get pricing based on their specific needs and applications. A demo request option is also available.

Source
Cognite Data Fusion: How is it priced?

Consumption-based on data, compute and users, quoted per customer. Nothing is published.

PowerFactory DIgSILENT: What training and support does DIgSILENT offer?

DIgSILENT provides training courses that can be booked directly. Customers also have access to a knowledge base, license migration assistance, and customer portal. Support services include consulting, testing and certification, and IT projects.

Source
Cognite Data Fusion: How long does a deployment take?

First useful graph in a few months is realistic; full plant contextualisation across a site is typically a year or more.

PowerFactory DIgSILENT: Is there a demo version available?

Yes, DIgSILENT offers demo requests for PowerFactory and StationWare products. Prospective customers can contact DIgSILENT directly to schedule a demonstration of the software capabilities.

Source
Cognite Data Fusion: Can we do the contextualisation ourselves?

Technically yes, the SDKs and matching tools are open, but most customers use Cognite or a partner for the first site.

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